Fort Knox shooter to face military trial

Marquinta Jacobs being led from the Portland, TN police station on Thursday, April 4.

Investigators at the shooting scene at Fort Knox.

BOWLING GREEN, KY (WAVE) - The Fort Knox solider arrested for shooting and killing a civilian employee on base went before a federal judge Friday morning. The case against Sergeant Marquinta Jacobs, 36, was handed over to the military who will try him in their court.

Fort Knox officials say they plan to charge Jacobs with premeditated murder and aggravated assault for the shooting death of Lloyd Gibert, 51, of Elizabethtown. Gibert worked as a Human Resources Specialist at Fort Knox since 2004 and is an Army veteran.

Gibert's neighbor hadn't heard about the shooting on Thursday and were surprised to hear Gibert was the victim. They say he had lived there for several years and always said hello when they saw him.

Court documents state a witness saw Jacobs and Gibert arguing in the parking lot near the Human Resources Command Headquarters around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. That's when the witness said Jacobs shot Gibert multiple times before taking off in a pickup truck. A truck fitting the description was found at Jacobs' home in Radcliff.

Jacobs' wife, Christina, told investigators he came home in that truck in the early evening hours Wednesday, then left on his black Yamaha motorcycle. That vehicle was found at the home of Jacobs mother's home in Portland, Tennessee. Jacobs was eventually arrested Thursday after being pulled over in Portland in his mother's vehicle.

An affidavit states eight .45 caliber shell casings were found near the crime scene on post. Jacobs' wife confirmed he owned a Glock pistol that fires that type of ammunition. Investigators also confiscated several boxes of ammo from Jacobs home. Some of which they said matched the casings found on post.

Jacobs enlisted in the Army in June 2004 and had been at Fort Knox since 2009 where he worked as a unit supply specialist doing general upkeep and maintenance of army supplies and equipment. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat team, 1st Infantry Division at the post.

Jacobs is currently being held as a federal prisoner in the Marion County Detention Center awaiting his a military Article 32 investigation. It's a fact-finding mission similar to a grand jury hearing.